Denmark on Friday found itself in President Donald Trump’s crosshairs. Trump appears to be honing in on what his administration is now arguing is a failure by Copenhagen to protect Greenland from Russian and Chinese aggression.
Speaking to American soldiers from the U.S.’s Pituffik Space Base in northwest Greenland, Vice President Vance said, “Denmark hasn’t done a good job at keeping Greenland safe.”
“What we think is going to happen is that the Greenlanders are going to choose, through self-determination, to become independent of Denmark,” Vance explained in a more toned-down approach from Trump’s previous statements. “And then we’re going to have conversations with the people of Greenland from there.”
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The vice president’s answer was in response to questions from reporters as to what lengths Trump would go to, to acquire Greenland despite strong resistance within the arctic nation to become a part of the U.S. as the president has previously signaled is his ambition.
“We do not think that military force is ever going to be necessary,” Vance continued. “And because we think the people of Greenland are rational and good, we think we’re going to be able to cut a deal, Donald Trump-style, to ensure the security of this territory, but also the United States of America.”
Vance said that Russia and China have been largely running unchecked in the area and “encroaching” on Greenland without proper protection from Denmark.
Though Greenland is an autonomous nation, it is still a territory of Denmark, which means Copenhagen oversees its security needs.
Greenland does not currently have its own military and would no longer be protected by NATO if it left Denmark, as it would need to formally apply for NATO membership as an independent nation.
“There has been an expansion of the security footprint in the security interests of Russia and China. They’re doing what they believe is in their interest,” Vance said. “The United States must do what I know is in our interest — which is to make sure that Greenland is safe.
“If Greenland doesn’t have self-determination, if the people of Greenland have their future controlled by the Chinese Communist Party, it’s not going to make their lives better off, and most importantly, it’s going to make American and world…security much, much weaker,” he added.
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Vance said he wants Greenland to have American weapons, not Chinese weapons, and that he believes a partnership could be secured once the arctic nation votes for independence from Denmark.
While some in Greenland have said they would be interested in securing a partnership with Washington that could include access to fishing lanes in exchange for defense guarantees, Trump has signaled that he may be more interested in the nation’s rare earth minerals and energy opportunities.
However, Greenland, which is environmentally conscious, has previously blocked the EU from making deals to access those coveted resources.
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“When the President says we’ve got to have Greenland, he’s saying this island is not safe,” Vance said. “A lot of people are interested in it. A lot of people are making a play.
“Our message is very simple: Yes, the people of Greenland are going to have self-determination,” he continued. “We hope that they choose to partner with the United States.
“We’re the only nation on earth that will respect their sovereignty and respect their security, because their security is very much our security,” Vance said.
